Chapter 1

The plane had just taken off. Everything looked so small, so far away from her first-class window seat. Buffy couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic about was she was leaving behind- her entire world, school, friends, little sis, and her mom, and it was all his fault. Her stupid stepfather. She really hated him- her life was such a mess, and he was the only one to blame.

She was so involved in her thoughts that she didn’t realize that she was being observed. A very hot guy sitting right next to her was totally checking her out, studying every single one of her moves. He couldn’t keep his eyes away from that little blond seating there, looking sexy and yet innocent in a pink miniskirt and a black one-shoulder top with something written on it. Her nice pair of golden legs were exposed. They looked so soft- he had to keep himself from touching them.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he finally said to her.

“Hmm,” she said indifferently, turning around but without removing her pink sunglasses. As she turned around, she saw this very hot creature sitting right next to her. He had amazing brown eyes as well as brown hair.

“Please take off your glasses and help me out,” he said in a very suggestive way.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but what are you talking about?” Buffy finally said, trying to play cool and indifferent. Yet, she took her glasses off, giving him a cold look.

“I knew it, I was right,” the handsome guy said with a sexy look and a really nice smile.

“Again, what are you talking about?” she said, trying to keep up with her femme fatale act.

“I had a bet with myself that under those pink sunglasses were hidden the two most amazing eyes, and I won.”

“Are you even listening to yourself? A bet with yourself? How lame is that? Does that cheesy line ever work? I mean, is this the part where I throw myself into your arms?” Buffy asked him.

“Wow, a girl with attitude. That’s even better, and yes, no, I hope so, and I wouldn’t mind,” Parker said, laughing.

She couldn’t help but smile back at him, but then she remembered- keep it cool, Buffy. After all, it was all about the attitude, right? How many times had her best friend Faith told her that? They were a total hit every time they would come together to the Bronze. The two of them would drive every guy crazy with their careless attitudes. Why would this be any different? He was just a guy, and after all, they were all the same- fucking bastards that were only interested in one thing, sex.

“So, those sexy eyes come with a sexy name?” Parker asked with a killer smile.

“Buffy,” she said.

“Ha ha ha, very funny. Ok then, I’m Chucky,” Parker said, laughing, but suddenly, he realized she wasn’t laughing. Damn, it wasn’t a joke- it was her real name. “Sorry, I mean, that’s a very cute name, really. It's just that...”

“Just stop it, ok? I happen to like my name. It’s very unique, like me,” Buffy replied with pride. "So, what’s yours, 'Chucky'?”

“Hmm, Parker.”

“Oh my god! And, to think, you gave me a hard time with my name.”

“Touché.”

“So, Buffy, you live in New York?”

“What? Oh, no, I’m just there to make my connection. I’m going to Geneva.” There was some bitterness in her voice.

“Wow, Geneva? As in…?”

“Duh, Switzerland. You are so smart.”

“And what are you doing in Switzerland?”

“Live, I guess.”

“Wow, you fooled me. You are a Swiss chick, and here I took you for an American girl.”

“Duh? Of course, I’m American. As American as apple pie. I only said I was going to live there- I never said I was from there.”

“So, Miss Buffy…”

“Summers, Buffy Anne Summers.”

“What does a beautiful American girl like you have to do with living in Switzerland?”

“Long story.”

“I have time.”

“I was sent to attend a stupid boarding school.”

“Boarding school, huh? Wow, you totally fooled me again. Here I am, having all these naughty thoughts about you, and you are just a girl. I could go to jail for that, you know?”

“I’m not a girl.”

“Well, you certainly don’t look like one.”

“Duh!”

“Anyway, so why are you being sent to boarding school on the other side of the world?”

“Well, my mom just couldn’t deal with me anymore. She remarried this stupid jerk, and suddenly, I didn’t fit anymore in the picture. So he convinced her that I had to go.”

“That simple?”

“Well, of course not. Nothing ever is that simple. The fact that I was kicked out of school…” She hesitated for a second if she should keep going, but what the heck- it's not like she cared anymore or like she’ll see him again after this. “…I was caught having sex in the principal's office.”

“Just that?”

“Did I mention that the guy I was fucking was the football coach and that I was wasted?”

“Well well well, so you are a little wild creature. But still, I don’t get the whole Switzerland part. I mean, it really doesn’t sound like much of a punishment.”

“Well, if it had been for fucking Ted, my stepfather, I would have ended in a military school or worse. He even tried to convince my mom to get me committed to a mental hospital. But my mom talked to my dad, and I guess he kind of felt guilty for not being around much, so he pulled some strings and got me out of it…”

“Some strings, huh? Your dad sounds like a powerful guy.”

“Well… sorta. He's diplomatic. He works at the WTO.”

“WTO?”

“World Trade Organization, which is Geneva.”

“So, he is bringing you there with him?”

“Not exactly. He is remarried also, and his little wife doesn’t want to deal with me, so he is sending me to this very fancy jail.”

“I must admit it's quite a story.”

In that moment, the flight attendant came to offer them something to drink.

“Sir, may I offer you something from the bar?”

“Sure, bring me a glass of champagne, and another one for the lady.”

“Thanks, but I can order my own stuff.”

“Come on, don’t tell me the daughter of a diplomat flying first class doesn’t like champagne? Sorry, I keep forgetting you are just a girl. A Coke would do it, right?”

“Hey! I’m not a girl. Champagne is good.”

“I knew you were a champagne girl. I mean woman. From the very moment I saw you, all sophisticated.”

“Here you go, sir.”

“Thanks, Kim.”

“Miss.”

She knew she shouldn’t be drinking, not obviously because she was underage, but also because of the fact that she was the daughter of an alcoholic, which made it worse. She just couldn’t handle alcohol, but how could she say no to Parker? She would look like a stupid teenager.

“Thank you.”

“So, I guess a toast is in order, don’t you think?”

“I guess.”

“So, cheers to destiny.”

Chapter 2

They both had a sip of their nice cold glasses.

“So, here I am, telling you all my dirty secrets, and yet, I don’t know the first thing about you.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Your last name? How old are you? What do you do for a living? Are you married?”

“Wow, slow down, honey, there’s plenty of time,” as he took another sip and encouraged her to do the same. “Last name Adams, I’m a photographer, and no, I’m not taken...” As he look deeply in her eyes, “yet.”

“Photographer? Wow. What kind of pictures do you take?" Buffy asked as the champagne was washing away her cool, indifferent attitude, leaving only an impressed 17 year old teenage girl instead.

“The most beautiful and perfect art ever created- woman.”

“Like super models and stuff?”

“Not exactly, sweetheart. More like artistic photographs. By the way, I would love to immortalize those pretty eyes of yours.”

“Really?”

“Definitely. You would have so much success in New York. A young, fresh, and yet sophisticated face like yours would be an instant hit.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Fine, don’t believe me, but I’m telling you, I recognize talent when I see it, and a face like yours with that attitude and the right connection, meaning me, could really have a shot in becoming the next new sensation. It’s a shame you are in such a hurry to get to Geneva. I could take some shots of you and pass them around. It wouldn’t take long.”

She didn’t know what to say- that was so exciting. Being photographed by a pro in New York- she couldn’t remember how many times had she posed in front of the mirror, pretending she was Giselle Bundchen. This was her big chance to become a model, and instead, she had to take a stupid plane that would take her to a golden prison.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“Have another sip, honey.”

As she finished the last sip of her champagne, he handed her a new glass. He had ordered for her a couple of minutes ago. Was he trying to get her drunk? Why would he do that? And even if he did, what the fuck? It's not like she didn’t need it. She desperately wanted something to make all this easier. She wanted to not think in order to get along with this and face her new “destiny”. So she did, and she did it faster this time. There were some more glasses coming along, and she was definitely getting hot as she was trying to keep her attention to his conversation- something about Milan, Paris, and Hong Kong.

“…and I’m telling you, all those places, all those girls, and I have never found any girl whose eyes could project what yours can,” he said as he placed his hand on her tightly. “So much sensuality and elegance,” as he began finding his way up.

“Whoa, what are you doing?”

“I’m sorry, am I offending you? It's just that I can’t help myself, you are so beautiful.”

“Oh,” Buffy said, giving up on her fight to push him away. She was too drunk for that. Besides, it felt really good, and she wanted to forget, to have her mind somewhere else. She could feel the blood pumping through her body, as well as her own wetness. “What...”

“Shh shh, I promise you’ll like it.”

The movie “The Hours” was playing. Most of the first class passengers were either watching the movie or asleep, and the flight attendants were chatting in the kitchen.

“Wait,” Buffy said. “They’ll see.”

“No problem, baby,” Parker said as he placed a small blanket over her lap. “Better?”

“Uh huh.”

“Just relax.”

She was letting herself go. After all, it was her last hours of freedom, and it felt so good. He pushed aside her lace thong as he began massaging her curls, making his way to her folds, which he opened, sticking a finger in, beginning to move it slowly at first and then faster and faster as his other finger was taking care of her clit. Buffy was totally lost in lust, and her breathing had gotten deeper and harder.

“Mmmm,” she moaned.

“Do you have any idea how sexy you are? I wish I could take your picture.”

“Me, too.”

“Then come with me to New York, just one night. You can always catch a flight tomorrow.”

“But my dad is expecting me…”

“Call him and say you lost your connection. No big deal, just say yes.”

“Yes, yes, k” as she was getting closer.

“Baby? Have you ever heard of the high mile club?”

“Huh?”

“The high mile…”

“Yeah, I think so."

“Are you a member?”

“Me? No, oh wow... yes.”

“Would you like to become one?”

“What? Now?”

“Sure,” he said as he stopped playing under her skirt, pulling his finger out and licking it. “You deserve the real thing. Just go to the bathroom. I’ll join you in a minute. I’ll knock twice.”

“But what if they see us?”

“They won't. Come on, I know you are not a girl.”

“Ok, I will.”

She stood up, heading to the bathroom. She was so out of it that she decided not to think and just enjoy. As she entered the tiny bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, all she could think about was her as a model. That was her true calling, the big chance she had been waiting for to be a star. A minute later, she heard a knock and a sexy voice whispering.

“Sugar, it's me, open up.”

As she opened the door, he let himself in, closing the door behind him. Without warning, he started kissing her with lust, moving really fast to her breasts and practically yanking her black princess top off, sucking her nipples hard. She could only feel hands everywhere, and then she heard a zipper going down. Everything was happening so fast, not that any of her past experience had been any different- always full of passion and lust. Besides, she didn’t want to stop and think.

He grabbed her by her tiny waist and placed her on the sink as he ripped her thong apart, penetrating her so fast and hard that she would have cried if she didn’t have his hungry mouth covering hers as he began pumping, hard and fast. Buffy was just trying to grab onto whatever she could- he was such a hungry lover. She knew he has whispering something to her, but she couldn’t really tell what was it. She was too wasted to focus.

“Oh yes, baby, like that. You are so tight and hot. Come on, sugar, move harder, yesss...”

He was fucking her really hard, and before she knew it, it was over. He kissed her on the lips and whispered into her ear, “You’ll be a star.” He moved away, zipping his pants up.

“Get yourself together. I’ll see you in a bit. Take your time.”

She was back in her seat, her head still spinning from what just happened. She tried to remain calm, and suddenly, she was asleep.

“Hey, sugar, wake up.”

“Hmmm,” Buffy managed to say as she opened her eyes.

“We are here, New York. Your destiny awaits, princess.”

“Oh, my head. I’m not feeling that good.”

“I’ll give you something for that, ok? Don’t worry, baby, all you have to do is put yourself in my hands. I’ll take care of you.”

“Ok.”

As she was picking up her luggage, she asked herself once more if she should go with this gorgeous stranger who she had just had sex with on the plane or if she should just follow her original plan and board her connection to Geneva.

“What the heck? Stupid Geneva will still be there tomorrow.”

“Ready, princess?” Parker whispered in her ear as he grabbed her from behind. “Let’s get out of here and begin 'our' destiny.”

“Ok, I just need to call my dad and let him know. I don’t want him to freak out.”

“Fine. Here, use my cell phone.” He handed her the phone.

“Are you sure? I mean, it's long distance.”

“It's fine, go ahead.”

She knew the number by heart from the many times she had tried to call her dad.

“Hi, good…umm, what time is it over there? Right, morning, sorry. May I please speak with Hank Summers? His daughter, Buffy.”

“Daddy! Hi. In New York, fine, no, I’m fine. But guess what? I lost my stupid connection. Some dumbass gave me the wrong gate, and by the time I got to the correct one, well, it was gone. I’m sorry, Daddy, but really, what was I supposed to do, right? It's not like I know my way around this huge airport. Yes, I already talked to the airline. I’m leaving tomorrow morning, and since it was their fault, they are giving me a free night at a hotel.”

Parker was amazed with her ability to make up such a story. She was definitely a natural- if he didn’t know any better, he would buy that story in a sec. Even her voice was different- he could tell she was using her "daddy’s little girl" voice, and it was working.

“…yes, daddy, I promise. I’ll stay in the room. It's not like I would like to be out there alone. Don’t worry, I’ll just take a long bath and order some room service. Ok, daddy, see you tomorrow then. I’ll love you. Bye.”

“Done,” she said, handing over the phone, and before she lost her nerve, “Let’s go.”

“Your wish is my command, princess.”

After changing her ticket for the next day, they were on their way to Manhattan. Buffy had never been to New York, and she was truly amazed with the huge buildings. Even so, she was playing it cool and acting unimpressed. If he was treating her like an adult, she wasn’t going to spoil it. Besides, her head was still killing her.

“Are you ok, honey?”

“Yes, it's just my head. It feels like it’s about to explode.”

“I'll give you something as soon as we get to my studio. Why don’t you just rest your eyes for a sec?”

“Ok.”

She heard him on the phone talking to someone about meeting him at the loft in 20 minutes.

“Buffy, honey, we are here.”

“Ok, is this your place?”

“Yes. Let’s go and make you a star.”

Chapter 3

The studio was in an old warehouse. There was a huge king-sized bed in the middle, a small kitchen, some frames, and very little furniture around.

“Make yourself at home, sugar,” he said, putting her bags on the floor.

“Your head still hurts, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll get you something. Why don’t you take a look around and get yourself ready? There’s a mirror over there. I think you’ll find everything you need there. I’ll be right there with something for your head.”

“Ok.”

As she came out of the bathroom, she saw Parker talking to another guy. He was tall and handsome. They must have been talking about something important because they stopped as soon as they saw her.

“Hey, sugar, there you are. I was just telling Jimmy about my great discovery.”

“Oh, hi.”

“Nice meeting you. I’m Jimmy, I work with Parker.”

“Here, honey, take this.”

“Thanks, what is it?”

“Some Tylenol to help with that headache of yours.”

“Thanks.”

“So, are you all set? Did you find everything you needed?”

“Yes, but about my clothes, what should I wear? I mean, is this ok?”

“Don’t worry about it. You look great. Why don’t we begin with what you’re wearing, and later, I’ll give you something else, ok?”

“Ok.”

As Buffy was fixing her hair, she began feeling a little dizzy. She could hear both guys setting the lights and talking, but she wasn’t able to focus.

“Almost ready, hon?"

“Yeah, but I mean, do I look ok? I have never done this.”

“Come here, baby, you look great. Just relax.” He began massaging her shoulders and kissing her neck.

“Now, show me what you got.”

“How?”

“Just be you. Give me something, baby.”

“Ok, I'll try,” she whispered.

She was feeling like she was drifting off. She was more and more out of it- she could hardly keep her eyes open as she saw a couple of flashes. Suddenly, she felt what she thought were his hands cupping her breasts. Unable to protest, she felt how he was loosening her top. She could feel other hands and voices, but her eyes were too heavy now.

When she woke up, she was feeling weird. Her head was in even more pain than before. For a second, she forgot where she was.

“Oh my God!” she yelled when she realized she was lying naked on the bed. “What happened?” But it seemed like no one else was there. There were obvious traces of what had happened the night before. She couldn’t help but feel dirty as she saw some leather things, a couple of used condoms, and some other stuff that she didn’t even want to know what they were. As fast as she could, she looked for her stuff, getting dressed as fast as possible. Right next to her purse, there was a note that said: “You were terrific. I’ll be in touch. Here’s some cash for the cab. Kisses, Parker.” She went through her purse, afraid that her documents would be gone, but luckily for her, she found everything. She hated him so much. What had she done? She was terrified. She grabbed her stuff as fast as she could and got in the first cab she could find.

“Where to?” the driver asked her.

“J.F.K. please.”

Chapter 4

As she was waiting in the airport having some coffee, she realized she looked like hell- like she had just been in an orgy, but then again, maybe she had been in one.

When she finally was aboard, she was relieved that no one was sitting next to her. How had that happened? One second, she was on her way to Geneva, next thing she was drinking, being fingered, having sex in the bathroom, leaving with a complete stranger, lying to her father. How could she have been so stupid and naïve? Becoming a model? God knows what had happened at that studio. She couldn’t stay out of trouble, not even during a stupid flight.

She slept trough the entire flight. After claiming her luggage, she was finally on her way to meet her father. A part of her couldn’t wait to see him. It had been 2 years since she last saw him, but on the other hand, she couldn’t face him. She felt like he would be able to read her eyes. Her stupid eyes. The same eyes that had gotten her in trouble in the first place.

But her dad wasn’t there. Just some guy with a sign that said “Miss Summers”. Of course he wasn’t there. For a second, she felt like just walking away, getting lost in the crowd. But apparently, her dad had shown the chauffeur a picture of her because he recognized her. He explained to her that her dad was busy in some meeting and that he had been instructed to drive her to the hotel where she was staying and that he would get in touch with her as soon as possible.

Fucking bastard, a hotel? He couldn’t even receive her into his own house. Of course that stupid bitch to whom he was married hated her.

She pretended to be looking at the city as the driver was showing her the sites, but her mind was somewhere else.

After checking herself in at the hotel, she found a huge teddy bear and a chocolate basket in her room with a card that said: "I’m sorry I wasn’t able to pick you up. I thought you would be more comfortable here. I’ll be there tonight at 7:30 to take you out for dinner. Love, Dad.”

She took a long bath. A few months ago, her life was so different. Living at home with her mom and Dawn, dating Angel- it was perfect. When did everything fell apart? Was it when Angel left her? Or when Ted came along? It didn’t really matter anymore.

She found on her dresser a brochure for St. George's School as well as her uniform, which consisted of a blue blazer with the school logo, white shirts, a blue vest, a white, blue, and green skirt, white socks, and black shoes.

“Oh my God, this is so lame,” as she looked at the heavy blue coat and some sports clothing, if you could call that clothes. There was also a book containing the rules of the school.

“Welcome to jail, Buffy.”

The phone rang. Putting the book down, she hurried to answer it.

“Hello? Hi, daddy. Yes, I’m fine. Yes, I found everything. Yes, the room is nice. Dinner at 7:30 sounds great. See you then, bye.”

She decided to go with a plain look, just black pants and a white turtle neck sweater. Although it wasn’t super cold, it was definitely colder than California.

She realized that the mini bar was unlocked. It was tempting to open it, but she shook her head, saying to herself, “Haven’t you been in enough trouble already?” Either way, she opened it, just to find that there was no alcohol at all. “Thanks a lot, dad.”

As she saw herself a last time in the mirror, she hoped that her dad couldn’t see how lost she was, that she was no longer his little princess, but deep inside, she wanted exactly the opposite- she wanted to be saved.

She heard the knocking on the door.

“Coming,” she said, opening the door. “Daddy!”

“Hi, honey.”

She hugged him for what felt like an eternity. She couldn’t let go of him.

“Come on, let me look at you. Wow, you are so pretty. I’m glad you are here.”

“I missed you, daddy. How come we don’t get to see you anymore?”

“Buffy, honey, you know how busy I am, and with the distance and everything… but you are here now, and that’s all that matters. Oh, Lilah was sorry she couldn’t come, but she had a previous commitment, but she wants to welcome you to the city. She’ll join us tomorrow for breakfast.”

“Yippy,” she said, but only for her to hear. To her dad, she went with a plain “Ok”. It was actually a relief that she wasn’t there. The last thing she needed was her very young, evil stepmother there.

“Ready?”

“Sure.”

He was driving a brand new silver Mercedes. He looked so handsome and important. They went to a cute little restaurant in a very nice part of town. It was a beautiful city- nothing like she had ever seen before.

During dinner, they talked. Mostly small talk, but he briefly referred to the “incident”, as he called it, mainly because he was afraid of being a parent and to take some responsibility in that. Instead, he talked to her about how hard it had been to get her into that prestigious school, especially with her previous records and grades.

“You’ll have to work very hard, honey. This is a tough school, but once you graduate, you’ll be able to attend any college you want. You could even go to Paris to study art like you always wanted.”

“Daddy, I haven’t painted in years.”

“Oh, well, you could pretty much study anything you would like.”

“Would I get to see you often?”

“Sure, honey, as often as my duties let me.”

“I’ve missed you, dad.”

“Me too, princess.”

As they said goodbye back at the hotel, Hank reminded Buffy about their breakfast appointment, after which he would be driving her to St. George's.

“I have to go tomorrow? It’s too soon.”

“I know, honey. I wish we could have had more time, but you lost your connection. That really blew my plans.”

'He actually had plans for her?' Buffy thought. 'And I blew it for what? Stop beating yourself, Buffy. There’s nothing you can do now.'

“Ok, Daddy, see you tomorrow.”

“Before I forget, call your mother. Let her know that you are fine.”

'Like she cares,' she thought to herself. But again, the only thing that came out of her lips was an “Ok”.

As she dialed the phone, she felt shivers. It was weird being so far away.

“Hello,” a man's voice said.

It’s him- the FB, as she called him, which stood for fucking bastard.

“This is Buffy. I want to talk to my mother.”

“Well, what a surprise- the little brat cares to call.”

“Whatever, just put my mother on the phone, ok?”

“Fine, but make it quick. She is making dinner, and you know I don’t like to wait.”

“Just do it,” she yelled. She really hated him. She could hear him yell at her mom- he didn’t bother to cover the phone.

“Joyce, that crazy junkie daughter of yours is on the phone.” A second later, she heard her mom go, “Shhh, she’ll hear you.” “So what? We are better without that little whore anyway.” “Don’t say that,” her mom replied.

“Hello?”

“Hi, mom.”

“Buffy, honey, how are you?”

“I’m fine, mom, I’m fine.” She almost choked saying those words.

“How was your flight?”

“My flight?” Buffy repeated. Yes, Buffy tell her that you got drunk and possibly got raped. But instead, she said, “Fine.”

“I’m glad. I heard from your father that you lost your connection. Is everything ok?”

“Yeah.”

“So where are you right now?”

“At a hotel.”

“Hotel? Why? He couldn’t receive his own daughter in his house? What’s wrong with your father? It’s all her fault, that woman…”

“It's fine, mom, I’m ok.”

“It's just that… anyway… I'd better go now. Be good, ok, honey? Here is Dawn.”

“Hello, Buffy,” a girl’s voice said.

“Hi, Dawnie.”

“How is everything? Tell me about dad. Is everything like super cool? Have you met any cute guys? How about school, is it nice? And how about the weather?"

“Calm down, Dawnie, relax. Everything is fine, dad says hello. I’m leaving tomorrow for school.”

“I miss you already. I know that he says that we are better off without you, but I don’t think so. I really miss you.”

“I miss you, too. Hey, remember what you promised me? You won’t take any crap from him, ok? Call me if you need anything.”

“I promise. I have to go, Buffy. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Bye.”

After that call, she just hopped into bed and cried herself to sleep.

Chapter 5

The next morning, she was ready on time. She decided to go with some khaki pants and a black sweater, her hair back in a ponytail, small golden earrings, and very light make-up.

Her dad came to pick her up at her room. Lilah was waiting for them in the lobby. She was around 32 years old, tall, long legs, and a very beautiful brunette with a doll face. But she was really a heartless bitch. She had been her dad's divorce lawyer. She worked for Wolfram and Hart, Attorneys at Law. After the divorce, she asked to transfer to their Geneva office, and six months later, she was the new Mrs. Summers. She and Buffy had only met a couple of times, but they really hated each other.

“Hello, Buffy.”

“Morning, Lilah, or should I call you mother?” Buffy knew how much she hated that. Not only because she was the anti-mother type, but the fact that someone Buffy’s age was calling her that made her feel old.

“Lilah is fine,” she answered, giving Buffy a fake smile.

“Shall we, ladies?” Hank asked, grabbing each girl with one hand.

They had a nice breakfast in a very cute restaurant where they could see the Alps. In front of her father, Lilah was nice, but when he wasn’t around, she didn’t hide her true feelings.

“Listen up, you little brat. You better behave now. This little joke of yours is costing your father a fortune. That school is one of the finest and more expensive as well. I have you to thank that we had to postpone buying the ski condo your father had promised me. Just know that I’ll be watching you very closely. I won’t let a stupid brat like you ruin what I have worked so hard to get.”

“Fuck you, mother.”

“How dare you talk to me that way? No wonder even your own mother doesn't want you anymore. You are nothing but a…”

“Shut up, just shut your fucking mouth.”

As Lilah was getting ready to respond, Hank came back to the table.

“All set, ready to go?”

“Sure, honey. I was just telling Annie how happy we are that she is here.”

“Right, mother.”

“Good, good. Baby, I gave instructions to drive you back home. Buffy and I have to go shopping, and after that, we’ll be on our way to Montreux. I'll be back tomorrow, ok?”

“Sure thing, honey. Just be careful, ok?”

“Ok.” “Buffy, honey, let's go.”

“Bye, mother.”

“Bye, Annie.”

After going shopping for school supplies, winter clothing, and other stuff, they were on their way to Montreux.

“You’ll love this school, honey. It’s actually a British school, so all your classes will be in English. There are girls from over 30 different nationalities. They have an art program, a pool, and they even have horses.”

“Ok.”

“Buffy, I know that you see this as a punishment, but really, you should see it as an opportunity."

“I know, dad. I promise I won’t let you down again.”

“It's ok, honey, you didn’t let me down. You made wrong choices. You were confused, that’s all. And everything is ok now.”

“Ok, dad. BTW, Dawn says hi. She really misses you.”

“I miss her, too. I’ll call her tonight after I drop you off, ok?”

“So, I’m staying there tonight?”

“The sooner you get settled, the better.”

Chapter 6

They arrived at Montreux, which was a beautiful town on the Swiss Riviera between the Alps, the Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and dozens of other peaks.

St. George's was only 10 minutes away from downtown Montreux. It was a very charming chalet on the hill, right by the Geneva Lake. There were tennis courts, a pool, a huge gym, a library- all of this surrounded by beautiful nature.

They had an appointment with Miss Gray, headmaster of the institution. She was an older woman, probably in her mid 50’s, with a cold expression. She had been at the institution for over 25 years now. She explained that St. George's was the first British public school to be established in Switzerland. During the past seventy years, they had established a world-wide reputation as an international girls' boarding school. The school also encouraged academic excellence while at the same time fostering individual talents in the arts and on the sports field. They had a closely monitored house and tutor system with small classes to ensure individual attention to suit each pupil's needs and development. She also made it pretty clear what discipline meant to the school.

Buffy had to admit she was impressed. Maybe this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. This was a clean start, and this place was amazing. Her dad truly cared about her- not only because this place cost a fortune, but he made an effort to bring her here so they could be closer, and that meant the world to her.

“Miss Summers, I want you to remember that you are a very special case. We have a long waiting list. However, considering who your father is, we decided to make an exception for you. I hope you don’t disappoint us.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I hope so. I’ll introduce you now to your tutor. She is an excellent student who will not only be your roommate, but she will also guide you until you get familiar with the system. We thought it would be better if we assigned you to an American tutor. You will be placed in a dorm with a large percentage of native English speakers. However, we encourage you to socialize with girls from different nationalities.”

“That sounds good, right, honey?”

“Yes, that’s fine by me.”

“Good. Miss Rosenberg, please come in. I would like to introduce you to our new student, Miss Buffy Summers, and her father, Mr. Hank Summers.”

A cute readhead came in. She had a goofy, friendly look.

“Hello, nice meeting you, Mr. Summers, Buffy.” She shook both of their hands. “I’m Willow. Welcome to St. George's.”

“Hi, Willow, nice meeting you, too.”

“Miss Rosenberg, will you show her around while I speak to her father?”

“Ok.”

“I’ll see you in your room in a little bit, hon. And by the way, nice meeting you, Willow.”

“Same here, Mr. Summers.”

The two girls left the office.

“So, Buffy, you are from California?”

“Yes, L.A. actually. How about you?”

“I’m from Michigan, so I’m kinda used to this weather, but you must be freezing.”

“I’m ok.”

“You are going to like it here. Teachers are great, and they have the most amazing science program, and the labs are unbelievable, I should take you… sorry, I tend to talk too much when I’m nervous."

“It’s ok. Although, I’m not really into science.”

“Oh, no problem, they have an art program, and a drama club, and…”

“It's ok, I’m not really into school that much.”

“Oh.”

“But I’m willing to change.”

“Good, Buffy, I’ll help you.”

Willow showed Buffy the school. It was a really beautiful- flowers everywhere and a breathtaking view of the lake and mountains. She felt like she was in a fairy tale.

“This is our hall. I think you’ll like it, and there are a lot of American and British girls here.”

“It looks nice.”

“And this is our room.”

As Buffy walked inside, she realized it wasn’t a big room. Probably as big as her room back home. There were two twin beds with a night table and two desks. But the best thing was the view they had.

As they were getting settled, two girls walked in, one of them tall and brunette, and the other blond and about her height.

“So, this is the new girl?” the tall brunette asked.

“Hi, Cordelia. Yes, this is Buffy. She just got here from L.A.,” Willow said.

“Buffy, huh? I’m Cordelia Chase, and this is Harmony.”

“Hi,” Harmony giggled.

“Hello, nice meeting you, Cordelia, Harmony.”

“So, why are you here, Buffy? Is it true what they are saying about you? That you were sent here because you were involved in a huge sex scandal back home?” Cordelia said with a smile on her face.

“Well, I honestly don’t feel like talking about it, especially since I don’t know you, and I don’t see how that would be any of your business,” Buffy responded as she kept looking around, trying to act like it was not a big deal. But inside, she was very sad to know that no matter what, her past would always haunt her.

“Oh my God! So it’s true. Hey, relax, there’s no reason for you to be mad. That is so cool! Nothing ever happens around here.”

“I suppose.”

“I want details. Come on, don’t be so shy and mysterious. Who was he? Was he hot? Is it true he was a teacher? He wasn’t old and ugly, right?”

“Fine. No, he wasn’t ugly and old. He was sort of a teacher. He was the 25 year old hot football coach. So, as you can see, it’s not as juicy as you thought it was.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s hot. You little whore. Anyway, welcome to this fancy jail. It's not so bad if you hang with the right people.” Looking at Willow, “Meaning me, of course.”

“Fine, thanks anyway…”

Suddenly, they heard knocking on the door, and all the girls turned to see a very handsome man coming in.

“Buffy, honey, may come in?”

“Dad, please do.”

“I’m here to give you your stuff and say goodbye.”

“Already?”

“I’m afraid so, honey.”

“Hi, I’m Cordelia Chase. You must be Buffy’s dad.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners? I’m Hank Summers, nice meeting you. Did you say Chase?"

“Yes.”

“Are you related to Thomas Chase?”

“Yeah, he is my dad.”

“Your dad and I work together. He was actually the one who recommended the school to me. I’m glad to see that you and Buffy will be friends.”

“Great,” Buffy said bitterly.

Buffy, Hank, and Willow brought the rest of Buffy’s stuff inside. Willow decided to give Buffy some time alone with her father so she could say good-bye.

“But, daddy, you said you were going to stay overnight."

“I know, honey, but Lilah just called. She says it’s important.”

“Sure, Lilah. Go running back to her. Don’t let me keep you any longer.”

“Honey, please don’t make this any harder. Besides, you seem to have a good thing going here. You have to get used to this place as soon as possible. But I promise I’ll be in touch. Maybe you could come next weekend, and we could spend some time together. How’s that?”

“I guess. At your place?”

“Mmm, sure, why not. I’m sure Lilah would be glad. We have an extra room that we could fix for you, and we could even go furniture shopping so you can decorate that room however you want. Cheer up, honey this is a great opportunity for a clean start.”

“Ok, daddy.”

“Now, give me a hug because I really need to get going.”

“I’ll call you soon, ok?”

“I love you, dad. I promised Dawn that you would call her tonight, ok?”

“I will, honey. I love you. Bye, sweetheart, and good luck.”

“Bye, dad.”

As Buffy watched her father leave, she realized she had never felt so alone. These past few days, she had been on an emotional roller coaster. It just felt so unreal, like it wasn’t happening to her.

Her first night was okay. After she came back to her dorm, she put her stuff away with Willow’s help. Then they went for a walk so she could see the pool, the stables, the tennis court, and Willow’s favorite place- the library. Willow was so excited- she seemed like a very nice girl. After all the tours, they went back to the dorm and ordered some pizza. Since it was Sunday, girls were allowed to have food delivered to their dorms. A bunch of girls gathered together- they all wanted to meet the new girl. So Buffy decided to let go of her sadness and try to have a good time. She talked about California, boys, and clothes.

Chapter 7

The next morning, Willow woke up Buffy at 6:00am.

“Buffy? Hey, Buffy, are you awake?”

“What?”

“Come on, it's time to get up.”

“Already?”

“Well, yeah. We need to be in the cafeteria by 7:00am, so we better hurry before the shower line becomes hell.”

“Shower line?”

“Oh yeah. Too many girls, too few showers. We have to hurry, Buffy.”

“Ok, I’m coming.”

After showering, she tried on her uniform for the first time. As she stared at her reflection, she felt like she was in a Britney Spears video. After breakfast in the cafeteria with Willow and some other girls, they were ready to begin classes at 8:00am.

Buffy and Willow had the same schedule- it had been set this way in order to help Buffy out. After 5th period, Buffy looked at her schedule.

“So, what’s next?”

“English literature,” Willow answered Buffy. “It’s great. You are going to love it.”

“Willow, you have said the same thing about every other class we have had,” she smiled back at her.

“Hey, Fred!” Willow yelled at a girl.

“Hi,” a pretty girl with long brown hair answered.

“Fred, I would like you to meet Buffy. She is new. Buffy, this is Fred. She is in our English class.”

“Same here, Fred.”

“I was just telling Buffy how great Mrs. Robertson is …” Willow said excitedly.

“You mean you haven’t heard?” Fred interrupted Willow.

“What?”

“Mrs. Robertson had an accident. Apparently, she fell down some stairs and broke her hip, so she is not going to be able to finish the year.”

“Oh my, that’s terrible. Poor Mrs. Robertson. I wonder what’s going to happen to the class?" Willow asked with a concerned look on her face.

“I think they are looking for a replacement, but in the mean time, I heard Mr. Giles' son is filling in.”

“Mr. Giles? I didn’t know he had a son.”

“Who is Mr. Giles?” Buffy asked.

“Oh sorry, Buffy. He is the librarian, the guy we have to see later to get all your books.”

“Oh, ok.”

As they walked into the classroom, they saw Cordelia and Harmony already seated.

“Oh my God! You heard about crazy old Robertson?” Cordelia was gossiping with other girls.

Suddenly, after the bell rang, a handsome young man came in. He was wearing a blue navy suit with a light blue shirt and a red tie. His bleached hair was neatly combed. He had very manly features and some killer blue eyes. He must have been really nervous, and yet, he remained confident the whole time. As he made his way in, all the girls were watching him closely as they gave each other looks.

Buffy thought he was the sexiest man she had ever seen, but then she had a Parker flashback and shook those thoughts away. After all, those thoughts had only gotten her into trouble, and she decided to have a clean start.

“Oh my god, look how hot he is?” Harmony whined.

“I guess so, if you like the bleach type guy,” Cordelia said.

“Good morning,” he finally said. “My name is William Giles. As you must know now, Mrs. Robertson had an accident and broke her hip, which makes it impossible for her to finish the school year. So, meanwhile, I was asked to cover her classes. I’ll be glad to answer any question you might have.”

Harmony quickly raised her hand.

“Yes?” William asked.

“Are you, like, married?” she asked without any shame, making the rest of the girls giggle.

“Harmony, oh my God,” Cordelia snapped at her, giving her a dirty look.

Buffy couldn’t help but to pay attention. Even when she thought that was not a proper question, she was definitely interested in the answer.

“No, I’m not married,” he answered, blushing. “Any other professional questions?”

“Mr. Giles?" Willow asked. “Are we still having a test on Friday?”

“Please don’t call me Mr. Giles- that’s my father. And yes, the test is still on.”

“What should we call you then?” Buffy asked.

When William set his eyes on the cute blonde, he couldn’t help but smile at her. She was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

“Hmm, let’s make a pact,” without being able to take his eyes away from her. “Inside the class, you may call me William, but around the principal or other faculty members, you will refer to me as Mr. Giles. Deal?” He smiled at her.

“Deal.”

Buffy actually paid attention in class for the first time in a long while. He was reading “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Buffy was hypnotized by his beautiful, manly voice.

“…Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the others, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh! I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubt if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that made all the difference.”

“What do you think he was talking about?” he asked, removing his glasses.

“Choices,” Buffy automatically responded.

“Exactly. Miss?” he smiled at her.

“Summers. Buffy Summers.”

“Is Buffy alright? Since we have a pact, it's only fair.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“There’s a point in our lives when we have to make vital choices. The important thing is how we decide which way to go. We must always know that every waking minute is a chance to change the destiny of our lives. We make choices all the time. And if you ask me, I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad choice, just different consequences.”

As the class passed, she felt more and more dragged into his words. Could that be true? Could she really change her destiny? She really wanted that.

Chapter 8

After school was over, she found herself back in her room, thinking of the amazing time she had just had in her literature class. It wasn’t only the fact that her teacher was the hottest guy she had ever seen, but for the first time, she understood poetry. It actually made sense, and she liked that. She had to write a paper for his class. It was about choices, and she knew about choices. Unfortunately, it was about bad choices. She sat in front of her laptop, with a beautiful view of the Alps, and began typing from the bottom of her heart.

Over the next few days, Buffy started feeling a lot better. She decided to have a fresh start, and maybe it was time to put her life back together. She got a call from her dad a couple of days ago to invite her to go skiing on the weekend. She was so happy. After all, her dad really cared about her. Maybe this time, things would really be different.

“You seem happy, Buffy,” Willow mentioned to her friend as they were both getting ready.

“Yes, I am. My dad just called to invite me skiing. He sounded happy,” Buffy answered without being able to hide her smile.

“That’s so great, Buffy. You’ll like skiing. Not that I’m any good at it. I usually spend most of the time on the ground. That’s definitely not my sport. Not that I have a sport. I totally suck at sports,” Willow kept babbling. “Your dad seems to be trying, Buffy.”

“Yes, he is.”

“Come on, let’s go before they run out of waffles. Fridays are my favorite days.”

“Ok, Wills, let's go for our waffles.”

She was looking forward to his class. It was a chance to change. Yes, maybe she had done really stupid things, but it was a clean start.

The literature class flew by- it was like whenever he talked, she was somewhere else. She was so into the lecture until the bell broke the spell.

“I’ll see you Monday. Don’t forget to pick up your papers. Have a nice weekend,” William told to his students.

“I wonder how I did?" Cordelia asked. “I hate poetry. I just dot get it.”

“Buffy, come on. We have to hurry if we want to make it on time to the cafeteria. It's pizza day,” Willow said, excited.

Buffy searched for her paper, but she couldn’t find it.

“Go ahead. I just need to find my paper. It's not here.”

“Ok, but hurry up or we’ll loose our chance to pick, and we’ll have to eat the pizza nobody wants,” as Willow left the classroom.

“I believe you are looking for this,” William said to Buffy, holding up her graded paper.

“Yes, I couldn’t find it in the pile,” Buffy said, worried. The fact that he had it could only mean she was in trouble.

“Well, yes. I set it apart because I needed to talk to you about it.”

“Oh! Is it that bad?”

“On the contrary, Buffy, it’s extraordinary. There’s so much feeling in this. You really understood what the author was trying to say,” as he handed her the paper with an A+.

“Wow.”

“Congratulations. I know you are new here, but it seems like you are doing quite okay, at least with me.”

'With him? What is he talking about' Buffy was thinking. 'He obviously means his class. He is so cute. Focus, Buffy. Remember your pact- no more problems, clean start.'

“Thank you, Mr…”

“Hey, I don’t see my father around.”

“Sorry, William.”

“Much better.”

“Looking forward to your next paper.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll walk you out. I need a cup of tea. So, you are from America?” as he lead the way out.

“Yes, Los Angeles.”

“Oh, sunny California. How are you liking the Alps?”

“It’s beautiful here. So different, so clean.”

“Clean?”

“Yes, well, I mean, no one knows me here. It's like a …”

“Clean start?”

“Kinda.”

“I understand. Although, I must say, you are very young to be needing a clean start.”

“You’d be surprised.”

As they walked through the halls, girls stared jealously at them, wondering what they could possibly be talking about.

“Well, kitten, this is my stop,” he said as they reached the faculty lounge. "Nice talking to you. And don’t worry- you started with your right foot.”

“Huh?”

“Your fresh start.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“Have a nice weekend. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Ok, same to you.” She was about to say William, but she saw a professor walking by, so she just smiled and said, “Mr. Giles.”

“Good bye, Miss Summers,” he said, smiling back at her

Willow was already in the cafeteria with Fred. Both girls looked like they were having fun.

“Hey, Buffy! Over here, I saved you a seat.”

“Hey, Will. Hey, Fred.”

“Hello, Buffy,” Fred answered with a friendly smile.

“I saved you some pizza. I had to fight for it. You have no idea how some of these girls can get.”

“Thanks, Will.”

“So, what happened?” Fred asked, concerned.

“Oh, he just wanted to talk to me about my paper.”

“Oh, Buffy, I’m sorry. We’ll work harder next time,” Willow answered quickly.

“Oh, no, I did fine. I actually got an A+,” as Buffy held her paper up proudly.

“Wow, congratulations,” Willow said with her mouth full of pizza.

“Yes, that’s great, Buffy,” Fred said to Buffy.

Suddenly, the three girls turned around when they heard Cordelia yelling “You bitch” as her and Harmony stood right next to Buffy.

“Excuse me?” Buffy asked with a confused look.

“What the hell were you doing, talking to my blondie bear?” Harmony whined.

“Your blondie what? Are you high or something?" Buffy asked, annoyed.

“Don’t play innocent with me,” Cordelia snapped. "You know well right what we are talking about. You stayed after class to talk to William.”

“A.K.A my blondie bear,” Harmony interrupted.

“Everybody saw you in the halls, chatting around,” Cordelia said.

“What is going on?” Harmony asked, upset.

“He was just giving me back my paper, not that it's any of your business,” Buffy finally said, angry.

“Yes, he was congratulating Buffy on her paper. She got an A+,” Willow said as she proudly showed them her paper.

“A+, huh? In exchange for what?” Cordelia said in a bitchy tone.

“Excuse me?” as Buffy stood up, furious.

“You heard me. It's not like we don’t know your reputation around teachers.”

“Fuck you, Cordelia. You don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Calm down, Buffy. I mean, he is hot. I was just wondering if there was something going on. A forbidden love maybe. That would be so sexy.”

“Hello? You are talking about my blondie bear.”

“Shut up, Harm,” Cordelia snapped.

“Whatever, Cordelia. Just leave me alone, ok?” Buffy answered, frustrated.

“Anyway, that’s not why I’m here. We belong to an exclusive group. We usually don’t invite new girls, but considering your background, the fact that you are from L.A., and your sex scandal- we’ll skip the test and invite you directly.”

“What are you talking about? Invite me where?" Buffy asked as she rolled her eyes.

“There’s a party tonight. Only a select group is invited,” Cordelia said while looking at Willow and Fred.

“Sorry, I’m spending the weekend at my dad’s,” she answered proudly.

“Whatever. Anyway, call me if you change your mind. It's definitely the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“Don’t hold your breath, Cordelia,” Buffy finished.

As Buffy packed, she still couldn’t believe how happy she was- her luck was really changing. She was doing so much better at school, but the most important thing was that her dad cared about her. She couldn’t wait to see him and show him her paper.

“Buffy? Buffy? Earth to Buffy!” Willow said.

“What?”

“Wow, where were you? Telephone for you.”

“Is it my dad?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ok, thanks, Wills.”

“No problem. I’m heading to the library. If I don’t see you, have a good time.”

“Thanks, Will.” She waved goodbye to her friend and grabbed the phone.

“Hello.”

“Annie, it's me, Lilah.”

“What’s going on? Is my dad ok?”

“Yes, dear, very well. He asked me to tell you that he is not going to be able to make it this weekend. Something more important came up, and he had to fly to Rome.”

“What? But he called me last night to confirm,” Buffy said, surprised.

“Sorry, darling, what can I tell you? I guess his mind is somewhere else. He’s all excited since he found out he is going to be a daddy.”

“What? A daddy?” Buffy asked, shocked.

“Oops. my fault. I thought you knew already.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Well, yes, Annie, we are expecting our first baby, and I cannot even begin to tell you how excited we are. Hank is going crazy. He hopes he is having the son he always wanted, and between that and the Italy thing, well, his mind is just…”

“What Italy thing?”

“Oops, I keep spelling out secrets- must be the hormones. Well, don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll talk to you in person about it.”

“What Italy thing?”

“Ok, well, I guess there’s no reason for me to keep this a secret anymore. Your father has been transfered to Rome in some commercial trade mission.”

“What? When?”

“He has to be there in two weeks.”

“Two weeks?”

“Well, yes. You see, honey, it’s kinda urgent. Besides, it's better for the baby. I shouldn’t be traveling that much, and the weather over there is just perfect, don’t you think… Annie? Still there?”

“Yes, I’m still here.” Buffy was trying so hard not to cry.

“Don’t worry. No matter how hard I tried, your dad is still paying for your tuition, and honestly, I’m fine with that now. I guess it’s the hormones talking. Anyway, darling, I told you that you weren’t going to get in my way.”

“Fuck you, Lilah,” Buffy finally exploded as she hung up the phone.

She ran, in tears, back to her dorm. She couldn’t believe it- she was alone again. One more time she had trusted her dad, and one more time he was leaving her all alone in a foreign country. It seemed that it didn’t matter how hard she had tried- she always ended up alone.

Buffy decided that she needed some distractions. This time, she wasn’t going to stay in, crying all night. Lilah wasn’t going to have that satisfaction. So, after washing her face with cold water, she headed outside.

“Cordelia? What time is the party?”

“9:00pm. But I thought you said that…”

“I’m in.”

She picked for that night some black leather pants and a red halter top. As she was zipping her boots, Willow came back from the library, carrying a pile of books and a pizza box. She looked surprised to see Buffy still there.

“Buffy, you are here. Not that that’s a bad thing, but I thought by now you would be with your dad and your evil step-mother. And look at you- you are all dressed up.”

“It's ok, Will, change of plans. I’m going out with Cordelia instead.”

“But, Buffy, you seemed so excited…”

“I don’t want to talk about it, ok? I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait, Buffy!”

“What?”

“Just be careful. You don’t know these girls. There are a lot of rumors- they can get wild and crazy.”

“Then that’s exactly what I need. Good night, Willow. Don’t wait up,” as she closed the door behind her.